Lesson: Combining Phrasing with Relaxation and Technique Practice

Lesson: Combining Phrasing with Relaxation and Technique Practice on Classical Guitar. In this lesson I discuss the idea of presenting good phrasing and combining the ends of phrases with relaxation in the body as well as “pushing the reset button” on your technique and posture as well as the mind in performance. Here’s the YouTube Lesson Link if you prefer to watch it there.

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Bradford Werner
Bradford Werner

Bradford Werner is a classical guitarist and music publisher from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He originally created this site for his students at the Victoria Conservatory of Music but now shares content worldwide. Curating guitar content helps students absorb the culture, musical ideas, and technique of the classical guitar. Bradford also has a YouTube channel with over 94,000 subscribers and 13 million views. He taught classical guitar at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for 16 years and freelanced in Greater Victoria for 20 years and now dedicates much of his time curating content online and helping connect the classical guitar community. See more at his personal website.

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  1. What a great lesson !! From an early age I was taught always to “do my very best” and try really hard never to make mistakes, which is totally counter-productive – in fact quite the opposite – a recipe for disaster. Relaxation was never mentioned. At last I realize how tense I get when practicing. Thinking about phrasing, and consciously bringing relaxation into my practice will be a huge help towards improvement and enjoyment … Thank you once again, Bradford 🙂

  2. Bradford. I experience relaxation only a few times in a piece. Really didn’t know what was going on in the tense parts. I’d just endlessly repeat thinking I simply ‘have to get better’, getting tighter & tighter. Ugh!
    Starting now, relaxation techniques will be closely paid attention to. You’d think this topic and addressing it would be obvious. Must have missed the original. Thanks much for reposting a most valuable lesson!

  3. I took lessons starting in 1980’s. Stopped playing for 20 years now back to it. Found this website and learning so much I never learned before. I’m grateful.

  7. This was a terrific and valuable lesson – thank you. I’m still fairly new to classical guitar, and I notice how much my tone changes as stress creeps into my body while playing. My right shoulder shifts up and my right hand angle subtly changes, completely changing the tone. Training to “reset” at the end of a phrase is a great recommendation.

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